Jumping Frenchmen of Maine: A Rare PTSD Type

Although it may sound like the title of a bad off-Broadway play, or the name of an avant-garde musical group, the Jumping Frenchmen of Maine syndrome is actually an odd medical disorder that is characterized by an extreme startle response. While most people will jump if they are startled by a loud noise, quick movement, or other sudden stimuli, in people with Jumping Frenchmen the reaction is exaggerated.

The disorder was first noted by George Miller Beard in 1878, when he noticed that several members of a family of French-Canadian descent, who were lumberjacks in the Moosehead Lake area of Maine, displayed an abnormal jumpiness. Since the victims were all members of the same clan, he was led to the conclusion that the disorder was inherited.

When Beard first noted the disorder in 1878, Dr. Gilles de la Tourette attempted to have Jumping Frenchmen of Maine classified as part of the syndrome which bears his name, but the characteristics of the two syndromes are distinctly different, and the idea was rejected.

Since then, studies have cast doubt on whether the disorder is genetic, or a conditioned response created by cultural influences. When you're out logging in the woods, you'd better be ready to get out of the way when that tree falls or big machinery moves in!

Jumping Frenchmen of Maine victims also exhibit other abnormal behaviors. An individual who hears a phrase that is unfamiliar, or spoken in a loud voice, may repeat the phrase back repeatedly (a condition called echolalia). Their bodies have an automatic reflex to obey sharp, sudden orders. If you order them to throw an object they are holding they will do it. Victims may jump, fling their arms, hit, or yell in response to minimal stimuli that would not affect most people. The suggestibility and physical reactions are beyond their control, and their behavior should not be held against them.

This curious disorder has been found in other parts of the world, including Malaysia and Siberia. It is a form of hyperexplexia, which is a generic term for an exaggerated startle response. Jumping Frenchmen is similar to Stiff Baby Syndrome, where from birth the child's whole body becomes stiff upon being startled and may even fall to the ground. Some even consider it to be the same syndrome.

Jumping Frenchmen of Maine syndrome does not usually cause other harm to the body (except for the potential danger of jumping and falling), but emotional distress can result from the untreated syndrome. Victims may be teased mercilessly by those who are cruel enough to startle them just to create a reaction. Appropriate medical treatment is relatively uncomplicated and involves the administration of anti-spastic or anti-anxiety drugs.

This article is for information only and not meant to replace the advice of your physician.